Abstract
This article discusses the think tank scene in Finland and the modest role think tanks seem to play in public debate. In 2005, the first Finnish think tanks associated with political parties were established, and since then, several new ones have popped up. Until now, they have not received substantial media attention. One notable exception is the traditional Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA) that was founded in the 1970s and has secured a position as a credible public discussant. However, in light of the great popularity of think tanks in the other Nordic countries, even the public attention granted to EVA seems modest. The article presents empirical results of a media analysis and discusses possible reasons for the lesser visibility.
Highlights
Think tanks spreading to the Nordic countries – what about Finland? In the last two decades of the 20th century, think tanks proliferated dramatically, and the industry has experienced major growth globally (Hart & Vromen 2008, 137; Stone 2007, 264)
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) definition of think tanks (UNDP 2003, 6) is presented by Stone (2007), who categorize them as organizations engaged in research and advocacy on any matter related to public policy
Political party–affiliated think tanks are almost nonexistent in the United States, but they are the dominant model in Europe (McGann 2007, 12)
Summary
Think tanks spreading to the Nordic countries – what about Finland? In the last two decades of the 20th century, think tanks proliferated dramatically, and the industry has experienced major growth globally (Hart & Vromen 2008, 137; Stone 2007, 264). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) definition of think tanks (UNDP 2003, 6) is presented by Stone (2007), who categorize them as organizations engaged in research and advocacy on any matter related to public policy. Apart from the Finnish business-funded EVA founded in 1974, advocacy think tanks in Finland are a recent phenomenon.
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